Tile floors are desirable for many purposes, since they are easily maintained in clean condition and in high level of appearance, and are less subject to wear than carpeted floors, where the appearance level is reduced rapidly to a generally lower level than when originally installed. Accordingly, tile floors are highly desirable for use in multi-story public and government buildings; public assembly buildings; community buildings; educational buildings; religious buildings; medical buildings and hospitals; commercial and mercantile buildings, such as, banks, eating and drinking establishments, stores; office buildings; and residential buildings, such as, apartments and condominiums, housing for the elderly, nursing homes, and private residences; particularly in arid and semi-arid areas with sand and other areas where blowing sand is a continuing problem. Likewise, tile floors are highly preferably from a maintenance and durability point of view for rental apartments and condominiums, public housing, nursing homes, and the like.
The present evolution of a highly industrialized throwaway technological society, which is very intensive in utilization of energy and resources, has brought into focus the realization that we need to invent such as some of the following:
We need new ways to conserve or eliminate use of finite energy reserves, to mention a few: PA1 We need to re-use durable products directly, without expensive recycling PA1 We need to find ways for products to give more essential benefits, that is, synthesized products which perform a plurality of benefits in creative living and working environments PA1 Durability of the installation by using gravity and friction and accumulated-interactive-assemblage PA1 Improved sound isolation PA1 Re-use of the tile covering PA1 Sound Transmission Class (STC)-the Federal government has determined that in most situations a wall or floor/ceiling system shall have Sound Transmsision Loss Class greater than STC 52 when evaluated in relationship to acceptable ambient background level PA1 Impact Isolation Class (IC)-the Federal government has determined that in most situations a wall or floor/ceiling system shall have a Sound Isolation Class greater than IIC 52 to provide sufficient impact sound isolation in a floor/ceiling assembly between individual habitable living units in multiple-level housing PA1 Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)-measures or indicates the ability of a material to absorb sound-the Federal government has no standards on this, and its value standard is determined by the Architect and/or Acoustical Engineer PA1 Allowable sound levels mentioned above are discussed in A GUIDE TO AIRBORNE, IMPACT AND STRUCTURAL BORNE NOISE CONTROL IN MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as levels for Grade II Multiple Dwelling Residential Urban and Suburban Areas which, by definition, are areas of average noise levels. No federal standards exist yet, although they are needed, for commercial and industrial buildings, except as are required by local codes, regulations or personal standards of individual owners, architects, engineers, etc. PA1 Portland cement mortar PA1 Dry-set mortar PA1 Latex-portland cement mortar PA1 Epoxy mortar PA1 Modified epoxy emulsion mortars PA1 Furan mortar PA1 Epoxy adhesive PA1 Organic adhesive PA1 Special tile-setting mortars PA1 Mounted tile PA1 Pre-grouted ceramic tile sheets PA1 Special fiber mesh-reinforced concrete backer board PA1 Thresholds PA1 Commercial portland cement grout PA1 Sand portland cement grout PA1 Dry-set grout PA1 Latex-portland cement grout PA1 Mastic grout PA1 Furan resin grout for quarry tile, packing house tile, and paver tile PA1 Epoxy grout for quarry tile, packing house tile, ceramic mosaic tile and paver tile PA1 Silicone rubber grout PA1 `Redi-Set Systems 200` by American-Olean Tile Company, whereby 1 inch by 1 inch ceramic mosaic tiles were made up in 24 inch by 24 inch sheets in the factory with pregrouted urethane sealant joints. This product was withdrawn from the market several years ago. It was designed for only interior, non-load-bearing use and was adhered to a horizontal-base-surface. PA1 `Hartco Wood Foam Tile` by Tibbals Floor Company, whereby hardwood floor tiles are backed with 1/16 or 1/8 inch thick layer of polyethylene foam, with the foam adhered to the back of the hardwood tiles, the floor tiles being permanently adhered to a horizontal-base-surface with an adhesive. PA1 `E-A-R Composites` and `E-A-R Barrier` by E-A-R Corporation as a combination noise barrier, asborber and damper made of vinyl, generally used to isolate sound from machinery, ducts, pipes, doors, walls, floors, marine engine compartments, and hatches. The composite are not designed to serve as substrates for a finished floor tile system. PA1 The Ceramic Tile Institute Los Angeles Chapter's sound-rated interior floor systems for both thin-set and mortar method of setting ceramic tile floors in a manner to reduce impact sound transmission. A big drawback to these methods is that they require a thickness of 11/2 to 4 inches plus the thickness of the tile. Also the tile is adhered in a conventional manner over the rigid substrate. PA1 In existing state of the art, the tile is held in place by the materials for setting ceramic tile or held in place by special products for setting ceramic tile as described in the references stated, whereas in this invention the tile is held in place by gravity, friction, and accumulated-interactive-assemblage PA1 In existing state of the art, the tile is installed on a rigid substrate and is fastened mechanically or by adhesives of some type, or by both, whereas in this invention the tile floats loose laid on a horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer, such as, the following resilient materials, by means of the above-state gravity, friction, and accumulated-interactive-assemblage: PA1 In existing state of the art, the joints between the tile are filled with rigid grout, except for pre-grouted ceramic tile sheets of various sizes for interior and wall installations. According to the Ceramic Tile Institute, such sheets, which also may be components of an installation system, are generally grouted with an elastomeric material, such as silicone, urethane, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) rubber, each of which is engineered for its intended use. The perimeter of these factory pre-grouted sheets may include the entire, or part of the, grout between sheets, or none at all. Field applied perimeter grouting may be of the same elastomeric material as used in the factory pre-grouted sheets or as recommended by the manufacturer. Factory pre-grouted ceramic tile sheets offer flexibility, good tile alignment, overall dimensional uniformity and grouts that resist stains, mildew, shrinkage and cracking. Factory pre-grouted sheets tend to reduce total installation time where the requirement of returning a room to service or the allotted time for ceramic tile installation (as on an assembly lie) is critical. These tiles are installed on a rigid substrate and are fastened mechanically or by adhesives of some type, or by both, whereas in this invention the tiles are not grouted, but are filled with dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant and held in place by gravity, friction, and accumulated-interactive-assemblage for floating loose laid on a horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer for impact sound isolation by disassociation of impact sound source on tile from the horizontal-base-surface. PA1 For example, when installing ceramic or stone tile, it is essential to have a dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant-joint which remains adhered to all perimeter adjacent sides of tiles at all joints and which remains highly flexible over the life of the installation due to constant movement of joint from use by walking PA1 Dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant is essential to provide accumulating size of array in combination with friction and gravity to hold this invention permanently in place while allowing for assembly to float in disassociation with the horizontal-base-surface and joint to flex when walked on PA1 Room-temperature curing of elastomeric-adhesive-sealant without pressure or heat PA1 Some type of horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer To give impact sound isolation To keep tiles from clanking against hard-surfaced horizontal-base-surface or intermediate horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheets or three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix To take up unevenness and to cushion between bottom of ceramic, quarry or stone tile and top of horizontal-base-surface to avoid point source of contact between bottom of tile and top of horizontal-base-surface since ceramic, quarry and stone tile are relatively brittle In the case of wood tile, to take up unevenness PA1 Durability of horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer over life of installation of at least 20 years through the vicissitudes of water getting into the space between the bottom of the tile and the top of the horizontal-base-surface PA1 Control or elimination of friction destruction of horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer by time and air or constant flexing PA1 Thinness of the assembly is highly desirable PA1 A horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet that will not break, rust, warp, or expand and contract excessively during installation or in-use service PA1 Cost effectiveness PA1 Correct thickness-to-width ratio of ceramic or stone tile in relation to thickness and density of the horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer PA1 One or more horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layers PA1 A three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix with at least one horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer within the combination. PA1 One or more horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layers PA1 A three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix with at least one horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer within the combination PA1 A precision, uniform thickness of horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer of elastic foam loose laid over a precision. leveled horizontal-base-surface to provide uniform support PA1 A precision leveled three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix installed over a precision leveled horizontal-base-surface to provide uniform support. PA1 A precision, uniform thickness of horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer of elastic foam loose laid over a precision leveled horizontal-base-surface to provide uniform support. PA1 A precision leveled three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix installed over a precision leveled horizontal-base-surface. PA1 Ceramic tile materials, such as, ceramic mosaic tile, porcelain paver tile, quarry tile, glazed and unglazed paver tile, conductive ceramic tile, packing house tile, brick pavers, brick, and the like. PA1 Stone tile materials, such as, slate tile, marble tile, granite tile, sandstone tile, limestone tile, quartz tile, and the like. PA1 Hardwood tile materials, such as, white oak, red oak, ash, pecan, cherry, American black walnut, angelique, rosewood, teak, maple, birch, and the like. PA1 Softwood tile materials, such as, cedar, pine, douglas fir, hemlock, yellow pine, and the like. PA1 Wood tile materials, such as, irradiated, acrylic-impregnated hardwoods and softwoods. PA1 Cementitious materials, such as, chemical matrices, epoxy modified cement, polyacrylate modified cement, epoxy matrix, polyester matrix, latex matrix, plastic fiber-reinforced matrices, metallic fiber-reinforced matrices, plastic-reinforced matrices, metallic reinforced matrices, and the like. PA1 Terrazzo materials, such as, chemical matrices, epoxy modified cement, polyacrylate modified cement, epoxy matrix, polyester matrix, latex matrix , cementitious terrazzos, and the like. PA1 Hard-surface resilient tile materials, such as, solid vinyl, cushioned or backed vinyl, conductive vinyl, reinforced vinyl, vinyl asbestos, asphalt, rubber, cork, vinyl-bonded cork, linoleum, leather, flexible-elastic, polyurethane wood, fritz tile, and the like. PA1 1. Cutting dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint down the middle with a vertical cut or sloping cut and not removing the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant from the sides of the horizontal-individual-tile. When the horizontal-individual-tile or modular-accessible-tile is ready to be reinstalled, place a bead or series of spots of gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant along the vertical or sloping side to reset the tile. PA1 2. Cutting the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint down the middle with a verticle or sloping cut and not removing the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant from the sides of the horizontal-individual-tile and also cutting or routing in the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint a series of uniformly-spaced vee or half-cylindrical cross cuts on one or both sides of the middle cut for receiving a series of small beads of gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to hold the modular-accessible-tile in place in the array of modular-accessible-tiles at points of spaced vee or half-cylindrical ross cuts. PA1 3. Precision casting or routing a continuous perimeter border around all sides of the perimeter of the modular-accessible-tiles with a series of uniformly-spaced vee or half-cylindrical cross cuts on one or both sides of the middle cut for receiving a series of small beads of gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to hold the modular-accessible-tile in place in the array of modular-accessible-tiles. PA1 4. Double cutting the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint with parallel sloping cuts to form a vee open on the top side and closed on the bottom, into which self-leveling-or gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant is placed to seal the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint. PA1 5. Precision casting or routing into a continuous perimeter border around the perimeter of all sides of the modular-accessible-tile a vee or oval joint open on the top side and closed on the bottom, into which self-leveling- or gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant is placed to seal the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint. PA1 1. (Preferred - seems to work very well although it uses greater quantities of expensive elastomeric-adhesive-sealant) Where horizontal-individual-tiles are adhered fluidtight to a horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer or are adhered fluidtight to a horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet, flexible joints which are dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joints may be very efficiently formed by placing a continuous flow of self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant for the full width and height of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible joint. Where horizontal-individual-tiles are not adhered fluidtight to a horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer or are not adhered fluidtight to a horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet, flexible joints should be formed by first placing a continuous flow of gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant at the bottom of the flexible joints to form a fluidtight bottom seal to contain the continuous filling full of the top portion of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint with self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant for the full width and height of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint. This initial first bottom seal can beneficially hold the horizontal-individual-tiles in place against subsequent movement during the second application of the self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant. PA1 2. (or, in the interests of economy) Continuously fill the bottom portion of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint with gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant, allowing this dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to form a fluidtight bottom seal to contain the self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant when the top portion of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint is being filled with it. PA1 3. (or, in the interests of economy) Place continuous bead of gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant below each tile joint as the horizontal-individual-tile is being set to hold the horizontal-individual-tiles in place and also to form a fluidtight bottom seal to contain the self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant when the top portion of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint is being filled with it. PA1 4. (or, in the interests of economy) Continuously fill the bottom portion of the joints with any type of filler, such as, perlite, talc, vermiculite, granular filler, or foam beads to a uniform height so as to provide at least 1/4 inch or more space in the top of the joint for the elastomeric-adhesive-sealant by the following steps of placing a light coating or gun-grade-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to form an overcoat wherein a zone of intermixing of self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant will form with a fluidtight skim coat. After the skim coat becomes fluidtight, fill the joint full with self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant. PA1 5. (or, in the interests of economy) Continuously fill the bottom portion of the joint with sand or any fine granular material with a specific gravity greater than that of the self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to a uniform height so as to provide at least 1/4 inch or more space in the top of the joint for the elastomeric-adhesive-sealant. Either fill the rest of the joint directly with self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant or first form a skim seal coat over the sand or granular filler material and then fill the joint full with self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant. PA1 6. (or, in the interests of economy) Where horizontal-individual-tiles are adhered to a horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet of a flexible plastic or a flexible metallic sheet to form fluidtight containment for the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint, continuously fill the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint full with self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to a uniform depth of at least 1/4 inch and then brush in sand or a similar granular filler with specific gravity greater than that of the self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant at a slow enough rate for relatively uniform distribution that the sand settles, but does not bridge over, to the bottom of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint, leaving the top portion of the dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joint full of high-grade self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to a depth at least 1/4 inch or greater. PA1 The horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet is a modular-slip-sheet-temporary-containment of plastic material from 0.004 inch to 0.065 inch thick, formed by any production means into a containment means for containing self-leveling-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant-joints, such as, spun polyolefin sheeting, thin polyethylene foam sheets, thin polyurethane foam sheets, thin polystyrene foam sheets, woven polyolefin sheets, reinforced polyolefin sheeting, cross-laminated polyolefin sheeting, polyethylene sheeting, reinforced polyethylene sheeting, polyvinyl chloride sheeting, butyl sheeting, EPDM sheeting, neoprene sheeting, Hypalon sheeting, fiberglass sheeting, reinforced fiberglass sheeting, polyester film, reinforced plastic sheeting, cross-laminated poly sheeting, scrim sheeting, and scrim fabrics PA1 The horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet is a flexible metallic sheet modularly sized to size for one or more modular-accessible-tiles and comprises a modular flexible sheet from 0.001 inch to 0.020 inch thick, such as, hot rolled steel sheets; high strength-low alloy steel sheets; cold rolled steel sheets; coated steel sheets; galvanized, galvanized bonderized, galvannealed, electrogalvanized steel sheets; aluminized steel sheets; long terne sheets; vinyl metal laminates; aluminum sheets; and stainless steel sheets, wherein the flexible metallic sheets are, further, selected from flat galvanized metallic sheets, flat metallic sheets, rolls of galvanized metallic sheets, rolls of metallic sheets, grid-stiffened pans, deformed metallic sheets, flat metallic sheets with stiffening ribs, ribbed pans, flat laminated metallic sheets, metallic foil sheeting, expanded metal sheets, woven metal sheets, and perforated metal sheets PA1 The horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet is modularly sized to size selected for one or more horizontal-individual-tiles and comprises a modular flexible sheet from 0.001 inch to 0.125 inch thick, such as, plastic polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethane, and fiber glass PA1 The horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet is a metallic sheet modularly sized to size for one or more horizontal-individual-tiles and comprises a modular flexible sheet from 0.004 inch to 0.125 inch thick, such as, hot rolled steel sheets; high strength-low alloy steel sheets; cold rolled steel sheets; coated steel sheets; galvanized, galvanized bonderized, galvannealed, electrogalvanized steel sheets; aluminized steel sheets; long terne sheets; vinyl metal laminates; aluminum sheets; and stainless steel sheets, wherein the flexible metallic sheets are, further, selected from galvanized metallic sheets, flat metallic sheets, rolls of galvanized metallic sheets, rolls of metallic sheets, grid-stiffened pans, deformed metallic sheets, flat metallic sheets with stiffening ribs, ribbed pans, flat laminated metallic sheets, metallic foil sheeting, expanded metal sheets, woven metal sheets, perforated metal sheets, and woven wire sheets PA1 The horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet is a flexible sheet from 0.125 inch to 0.500 inch thick, such as, asbestos-cement sheets, plastic sheets, plastic-reinforced cementitious sheets, metallic-reinforced cementitious sheets, glass-reinforced cementitious sheets, plastic-fiber reinforced cementitious sheets, metallic-fiber reinforced cementitious sheets, glass-fiber reinforced cementitious sheets, Finnish birch plywood, overlay plywood, plastic-coated plywood, tempered hardboard, particleboard, and plywood PA1 The horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet has a grid of warpage relief saw kerfs, forming a grid pattern of saw kerfs to impart an inherently limp flexibility to the combination due to its mass relative to its stiffness to offset unbalanced composition of sandwich, and is a material, such as, asbestos-cement board, plastic board, plastic-reinforced cementitious board, metallic-reinforced cementitious board, plastic fiber-reinforced cementitious board, metallic fiber-reinforced cementitious board, Finnish birch plywood, overlay plywood, plastic-coated plywood, laminated tempered hardboard, micro-lam plywood, and particleboard. PA1 The slip sheet is a plastic material from 0.004 inch to 0.065 thick, such as, spun polyolefin sheeting, thin polyethylene foam sheets, thin polyurethane foam sheets, thin polystyrene foam sheets, woven polyolefin sheeting, reinforced polyolefin sheeting, cross-laminated polyolefin sheeting, polyethylene sheeting, reinforced polyethylene sheets, polyvinyl chloride sheeting, butyl sheeting, EPDM sheeting, neoprene sheeting, Hypalon sheeting, fiberglass sheeting, reinforced fiberglass sheeting, polyester film, reinforced plastic sheeting, cross-laminated poly sheeting, scrim sheeting, and scrim fabrics PA1 The horizontal-rigid-foam-insulation comprises a rigid-foam-insulation material of any functionally required thickness, such as, extruded polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, styrene bead board, polyurethane, urethane, polyethylene, isocyanurate foam, polyvinyl chloride, foam glass, and perlite/urethane foam sandwich. PA1 Visualize each loop or fiber of a carpet as equivalent to a horizontal-individual-tile, and visualize the carpet backing as a horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet that holds each loop or fiber in an accumulated-interactive-assemblage equivalent to the horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet (flexible asbestos-cement or flexible plastic or metallic sheets) of this invention where the horizontal-individual-tiles are adhered to this horizontal-composite-assemblage-sheet into an assembled horizontal-tile-array PA1 This invention goes beyond what carpet does and fills all perimeter joints around horizontal-individual-tiles with a flexible joint of dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant to form dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-flexible-joints, an improvement over the vast perimeter area surrounding each fiber of carpet, where dirt may accumulate and which fibers are equivalent to the horizontal-individual-tiles of this invention PA1 Like carpet, this invention remains flexible and can be loose laid over a horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer, provided the combination is composed in the different ways illustrated in our preferred embodiment disclosure, specification, drawings and claims PA1 Carpet is also cuttable and movable when loose laid, as this invention is cuttable and movable, allowing accessibility to the horizontal-base-surface and utilities and flat conductor cable power and communications systems as this invention does. PA1 By producing a product not requiring pressure and heat to provide flexible joints PA1 By allowing transport of modular-accessible-tiles by pallet PA1 By allowing gravity, friction, and accumulated-interactive-assemblage to hold modular-accessible-tiles in place indefinitely as long as the Earth retains its gravity tension PA1 By allowing gravity-installed modular-accessible-tiles to be re-used, relocated and recycled in the same building and home or in new buildings and homes PA1 By providing substantially improved Impact Isolation Class (IIC) and Sound Transmission Class (STC) for finish hard-surfaced tile and resilient floor covering installations which are thin in thickness and can be used in retrofit and new construction PA1 By providing an array of modular-accessible-tiles with flexible joints which are cuttable, accessible, and reassembleable in order to provide access to flat conductor cable systems for power and communication wiring when building occupants' functional needs require a hard-surfaced flooring in retrofit of existing buildings and new buildings PA1 By providing a means for installing an array of modular-accessible-tiles with flexible joints which are cuttable, accessible, and reassembleable in order to provide full top accessibility to a three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix formed to accept and accommodate varying combinations of the following: PA1 By providing a liquidtight joint that retains spilt liquids on the surface for cleanup or disposal by gravity drainage.
To produce products that are of long-term endurance with low energy use in production, transportation, and installation PA2 To transport products to factories PA2 To transport to project point of use PA2 To install finished products by means using minimum energy during installation PA2 To make products to last substantially longer PA2 Horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer PA2 Rigid-foam-insulation PA2 Resilient substrate PA2 Cushioning-granular-substrate PA2 Granular base substrate PA2 Factory-preassembled flexible metallic conduits with factory-installed lock connector ends PA2 Plastic and metallic conduits PA2 Plastic and metallic support raceway systems PA2 Plastic and metallic supply and return fluid piping systems for PA2 Junction and outlet boxes PA2 Passage of gases through a three-dimensional-passage-and-support-matrix
Current identified problems of the present energy and resource intensive, throwaway, industrialized society are the seed bed for inventing new products or inventing new ways of assembling existing durable products to fully utilize their inherent durability and/or re-use or recycling our finite, non-renewable resources and energy or industrially-manufactured products with optimum minimization of energy and resource costs or environmental quality costs in the various stages of gathering resources and energy, transporting resources to factories or construction sites, manufacturing finished products from gathered resources and energy, transporting, distributing and assembling into finished beneficial products at points of use to provide optimum beneficial quality of living, with due consideration to future costs in benefically preserving, re-using, recycling and converting to future uses.
Ceramic, quarry, selected natural stone, and hardwood flooring, and the like, have proven capability to last centuries when properly installed, while currently these tiles installed with rigid joints more often than not have cracking of joints or penetration of the tile joints by liquids and chemcials which cause loosening of the rigid bonding of the tile to the supporting substrate, causing breaking of the tile and further loosening of adjacent tile, or acids in liquids deteriorate structural elements, such as steel reinforcement in concrete substrate, or allow unsanitary liquids to drain down on occupied spaces below.
Common causes of tile popping off include (1) the use of soaps or cleaning solutions containing salts or acids, which penetrate through the commonly used sand-and-cement tile joints (which have a porosity of 9 to 10%) to the setting bed, the salts growing in size over a period of 10 years or so, causing the tiles to come up; (2) the use of an acid solution to clean the tile regularly, even the strongly acid tile cleaner commonly used to clean the tile during construction, followed by improper or insufficient rinsing, with subsequent wetting of the tile re-activating the acids, with consequent deterioration of the joint; (3) deflection of the slab due to a structural problem, causing tiles to heave upward and shear off clean as through there were no bond, the bond being the weakest part of the conventional construction assembly. Therefore, utilizing dynamic-interactive-fluidtight-elastomeric-adhesive-sealant-joints of this teaching to assemble tile into a more fluidtight assembly with flexible, more impervious, fluidtight joints gives the dynamic, interactive matrix of the tiles the capacity to overcome many of these common problems, along with achieving the following:
Conventional grouts, thin-set mortars, and mortar setting beds, as well as improved conventional grouts and thin-set mortars with a variety of new type additives, are all rigid in nature, requiring a rigid substrate, wherein this rigid support depends on rigid bond and support, and such tiles are all subject to gradual penetration of liquids in varying degrees working their way through grout joints, thin-set mortars or mortar setting beds adhering the tiles, causing gradual swelling, bacterial growth, bond disintegration, which lead to gradual coming loose of tile in most installations from their horizontal-base-surface, and deflection of the horizontal-base-surface quite often causes conventional, rigidly set and rigidly grouted tiles to come loose, which uncushioned tiles easily break against their rigid substrate and adjacent tiles, causing additional disintegration of tile, whereas this invention exploits the gravity weight of the tile, friction, and accumulated-interactive-assemblage combined with the flexible joints between adjacent tiles, forming a dynamic, interactive, floating assembly with fluidtight-flexible-joints between adjacent tile free of penetration of fluids to the horizontal-base-surface below, beyond the porosity of the tile itself, which tile, if it is made of good quality clays fired at high temperature, is of very low porosity, wherein the tile is held in place by a more dependable force of gravity with a proven superior duration when compared with conventional rigid bonding means for attaching tile to a horizontal-base-surface, and wherein floating tiles are cushioned against breakage by horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer which concurrently provides the improved impact sound isolation disassociation within a very thin combination.
There are three different types of sound control required in floor/ceiling assemblies between occupied spaces in contemporary habitable environments:
NOTE:
As to this invention, all three of the above different types of sound control values are affected to varying degrees by this invention. Unquestionably, the Impact Isolation Class (IIC) is of the greatest importance and benefit from this invention, and the Sound Transmission Class (STC) is of next greatest importance and benefit from this invention.
However, as a disadvantage to the currently available tile floors in multi-story structures, those above the first floor of a building are highly transmissive to impact sound generated, for example, by the shoe heels of a person walking across the tile floor (women with spike heels and men with metal clips), or other forms of impact on the floor. The sound is transmitted to the floor below, and in the event of a heavy traffic area, such as, a restaurant, a dance floor, apartments, condominiums, nursing homes, hospitals, or the like, impact sound transmission through the floor below to occupied spaces below can be a very serious problem, requiring the installation of carpeting even when, for other reasons, carpet is undesirable or not the best answer. As a result of this, it becomes very difficult to place a dance floor, or a high-traffic restaurant, hospital, nursing home or apartment on an upper floor of a multi-story building since there are strong reasons or personal perferences to leave such establishments uncarpeted but, rather with hard surface, enduring floors. The occupants of the floor below may be seriously disturbed by the continuous transmission of the impact of footsteps on the tile.
Similarly, in multi-story apartments and condominiums where it is desired to keep maintenance costs to a minimum, the impact sound of footsteps and the like from the apartment overhead can generate excessive disturbing noise and a continuous series of tenant complaints, forcing the installation of carpeting, with its added expense, periodic cleaning, replacement costs, and the like.
While previous attempts have been made to produce tile coverings having high loss of impact sound from transmission to other occupied areas, particularly areas below source of impact sound, they have not been very successful. For example, wood tiles have been placed on 1/2 inch plywood which, in turn, rests upon 1/4 inch cork sheet lying on a wood or a concrete structural subfloor. With this configuration, the sound damping has not been exceptionally high, and the problem of warping of the plywood requires the use of screws to hold the plywood in place which, in turn, helps to transmit the impact sound to the structural subfloor. Also the system is not waterproof and comes up if water is allowed to stand on its surface overnight. This invention, using waterproof materials, overcomes this disadvantage.
In accordance with this invention, a horizontal-tile-array is provided having greatly reduced impact sound transmission through its horizontal-base-surface. If desired, this can be combined with improved thermal insulation or the floor supported on foam insulation, with or without a horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer, for impact sound isolation, and may be accomplished with a unique, dynamic systen in which the tiles are resiliently carried upon the horizontal-disassociation-cushioning-layer. In accordance with this invention, tile breakage, due to the receipt of an excessive load from a spike heel or a heavy woman or the like, can be essentially controlled or dampened for good tile floor life, coupled with a greatly improved impact sound isolation.
Current review and understanding of the existing state of the art for setting materials for cermaic tile is well presented and documented in the HANDBOOK FOR CERAMIC TILE INSTALLATION prepared by the Tile Council of America, Inc., wherein under the following headings are presented materials for setting ceramic tile:
This same HANDBOOK FOR CERAMIC TILE INSTALLATION also clearly discusses the special products for setting ceramic tile under the following headings:
Also this same HANDBOOK FOR CERAMIC TILE INSTALLATION discusses in detail materials for grouting ceramic tile under the following headings:
The following other methods of installing floor tile are of interest:
`Acousti-Floor Sound Control Underlayment` by Laticrete International, a system by which a 1/2 inch thickness of cementitious material is troweled onto a concrete slab and the tile covering is installed in a conventional manner, adhered to the horizontal-base-surface.
NOTE: American-Olean Tile Company and some other manufacturers furnish glazed wall tile sheets with pre-grouted joints filled with silicone sealant. These can only be used, however, for adhering to interior walls and are not related to this invention of installing gravity-held-in-place-load-bearing-horizontal-tile-arrays or gravity-held-in-place-load-bearing-horizontal-modular-accessible-tiles with dynamic-interactive fluidtight-flexible-joints.